Okay, so I’m cheating. The official Sunday Stealing is one I did a while ago as a random meme so I decided to pull one from the archives and answer that instead. Call me a CheaterAss, that’s fine.

1. The phone rings. Who will it to be?
No one I want to talk to, that’s for sure. Alas, it’s usually neighbor Greg. And you definitely don’t want to be talking to his ass in the evening. Listening to drunken ramblings is not my forte.

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?
I do. It’s my small way of acting like an adult. Since I’m 12 most every other time, this is one way to allow me to feel like a good, decent adult.

3. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?
Depends on what kind of social setting and who is there. With my family, we all talk and I’m probably one of the talkiest of them. With others, I tend to listen more than talk. The more comfortable I am in the setting, the more I talk. However, I have blathered upon occasion when I was nervous and/or excited.)

4. Do you take compliments well?
I try to. There’s a part of my brain that says “Well, they’re just saying that.” but the other part (my higher self) says “How lovely that they see you in this way. Say ‘thank you’ and take it in.” I try to listen to that higher self more than my lower, cynical part.

5. Do you play Sudoku?
No. I don’t think my brain works that way. I am not very logical when it comes to numbers and things of that nature. (I don’t even do crossword puzzles. My brain is starting to fall out in little clumps through my ears.)

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?
I would die of dehydration within ten minutes of realizing I was lost because I would cry all my liquid out. They’d see a shriveled up corpse when they came for me. (At least I’d be thin!)

7. Did you ever go to camp as a kid?
I did. Girl Scout camp wherein I decided that peeing in a hole in the ground was a bit too icky for me and held it. And held it. And held it. Until my body decided late one night to not hold it. I peed all over myself and the floor. That’s all I remember because it was fairly traumatic for me. As an adult, I’ve learned that peeing has to happen even if all you have is a hole in the ground.

I also went to YMCA day camp in the summer and there I decided that I was terrified of fires. So I told them all I was allergic to the smoke and got to hang out with the dancing instructor in her studio where she played “My Cherie Amour” about seventy times in a row. Good times, eh? (Actually, I think of her whenever I hear that song now.)

8. What was your favorite game as a kid?
As an only child, I was bereft of game partners. Cousin O’Flair and Cousin/who/hates/me (her sister) and I would play some games whenever we got together. Mostly, though, we did goofy stuff like create our own radio talk shows and tape record them to the great amusement of our parents. I was always the ring leader for those things and remember “interviewing” Cousin/who/hates/me (8 years old at the time) about her views on open marriage. (I read a lot of Cosmo when I was a child, apparently.) She mouthed the words “I don’t know what that is.” to me and on the tape you hear a BIG pause and then I say “Thank you for your informed opinion.” Yeah, the ‘rents got a lot of laughs about that one. (Open marriage, Lisa? Really? What the hell was going on in my head when I was 11? I know. Don’t ask. Just keep moving and yes, thank you for YOUR informed opinion.)

9. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you?
Oh sure. I believe all paths are right for the person who follows them. Now, differing political views? Oh my. There better be some awesome sex thrown in to make up for the fights that will most likely take place. Unless we choose not to talk about it AND instead had awesome sex. That would work just fine.

10. Do you like to pursue or be pursued?
I really do enjoy being pursued by someone *I* like. Being pursued by someone that doesn’t float your boat isn’t as fun. However, I’ve mostly done the pursuing in relationships because sitting around waiting doesn’t work as well for me.

11. Use three words to describe yourself?
Sweet, loving and often indecisive.

12. Do any songs make you cry?
Depends on their attachment. For example, there’s a song called “I’ll be there” by the Escape Club that I associate with Lauren. Pretty much any time I hear it, I get teary because I miss her so much. “I can’t make you love me” by Bonnie Raitt almost always evokes tears because I really *get* the sentiment of the song and while there’s no one specific person it reminds me of (for that reason, anyway), the emotion of it moves me.

Short answer: yes.

13. Are you continuing your education?
I could continue my education all my life because I love school and learning. However, it’s time for me to move into the world and USE those skills I’ve been learning ‘lo these many years. I have taken on three coaching clients in order to get practice in doing what I really want to be doing (i.e. assisting others with bringing out their best selves and learning how to trust in and use their intuition to guide them).

14. Do you know how to shoot a gun?
I dated a guy who was into the outdoor thing and because I didn’t have anyone else to date at the time, I went along with it. I rode a horse for the first and only time in my life, went hiking and went to a shooting range. I liked going to the shooting range, surprisingly. But I have no need or desire to learn how to shoot and have a gun in my possession.

15. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?
Who hasn’t? Some of the ones I’ve kept are priceless. I love to make dorky faces in them.

16. How often do you read books?
Always. Books are my safe place. Even as a child, I would always come home with 20 books from the Scholastic Book Club each month. I think my parents had to get another job to keep me in books! (heh Kidding) I will say, though, that my book reading has declined in proportion to my online time. I did make the brief exception for the Twilight series and I definitely enjoyed having a compelling story to pull me away from the computer.

17. Do you think more about the past, present or future?
My friend Patty uttered this at work and it hit me like a ton of bricks: “I am living in the wreckage of my future.” – that’s me. Always thinking about the potential of the future instead of being anchored in the present. I am totally NOT a “living in the past” chick at all.

18. What is your favorite children’s book?
Who else read the “Encyclopedia Brown” books? (raises hand) I loved them!

19.What color are your eyes?
Hazel with more green than brown. My mother actually called them “shit colored” one time. Um, thanks Mom. (She would not have made a good diplomat.)

20. How tall are you?
5’4 1/2 (make sure you get that half in there) – tall enough to reach stuff. That’s the important thing. But I love when I put on some heels and I’m like 5’7 or so. Makes me feel powerful and almost amazonian.

21. Where is your dream house located?
Somewhere overlooking the beach or the ocean. I love having a water view. The pool in the backyard fulfills that for me during the summer.

22. If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you grabbed?
My dog and cats. The cats would be the hard part. I’d let Sophie just run out the door but Lucie would go hide and that would take forever getting her out. Also, I’d grab my journals, stuff Lauren gave me and my laptop.

23. When was the last time you were at Olive Garden?
This past May after I limped my ass walked in the Run for the Cure. Nothing like walking 3.5 miles and then eating a lot of pasta.

24. Where was the furthest place you traveled today?
From the bedroom to the couch where I am planted as we speak.